What Have We Been Up To?

Really, what haven't we been up to. The last few weeks have been a blur of activities--most of which have centered around home renovation, but not all. Let's start with the exciting things, and then we'll move on to the boring stuff. That way, if you get bored, you can stop reading.

The first weekend in March, Chad and I went to Charlotte. Chad attended a mini-lypse for i-Stock (the online company he uses to sell his stock photography). While he was taking pictures like this:

I was doing this:

One of my best friends from college just happens to now live in Charlotte with her husband and adorable little boy. Katy, Jacob, and I spent some quality time together on Friday, and Andy joined us for a trolley ride and trip to the children's museum in uptown Charlotte on Saturday. We had a great time. The Burches were the perfect hosts, and it was a blast catching up with Katy. Although, reminiscing with her did make me feel old: I realized our freshman year of college was SEVEN years ago. Wow. It feels like just yesterday we were doing crazy things like riding a greyhound bus to Las Vegas, watching Spanish soap operas together during lunch, riding our mattresses down the dormitory stairs, and sledding on pizza boxes on campus (just to name a few of the memories I share with la otra Katy.) I am so thankful for friends that you can be apart from for years, but when you get together your friendship feels the same.

The same weekend that we went to Charlotte, Santa decided to pay us a visit. "It's not Christmas!" you say? Oh, I fear you must be mistaken, because why else would a little gem like this decide to show up in our mailbox?

Yes, those are concert tickets, my friend. And no, you aren't mistaken, they most definitely do say COLDPLAY! Chad and I are going to meet one of my best friends, Lacey, for this concert in August. They're coming to Raleigh, and we'll be there. This was very exciting news since they are on my list of people to see in concert before I die. The only thing that could make this better would be seeing them in the UK, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

Of course, even when it's Christmas, we can't stop pretending to be on HGTV, so we've continued our own version of My Big, Amazing Renovation. If you've ever seen the show, you've witnessed the frustrations people go through while remodeling. I can't watch this show without shouting out a sympathetic, "I FEEL YOUR PAIN!" every few minutes. If we were on the show, our episode would look/sound something like this:

Katie: "Wow, this bathroom is really ugly."

Chad: "At least it's a good size."

Katie: "With a little updating, it might not be too bad."

Chad: "Katie, hold this mirror while I unscrew it, so we can keep peeling off the layers of wall paper stuck to the sheet rock while you try not to swear."

Katie: "Of course, darling."

Katie (after the mirror shatters all over the bathroom vanity and floor): "Are you OK?!

Katie, again (after noticing the interesting wiring that had been hidden behind the mirror): "Wow. That's up to code."

Katie (around the time that she foolishly thought she might be able to move into her house by Christmas. . . at this point in the show some dramatic music would begin playing, and the narrator would be saying something like "Chad and Katie are now ____ months behind schedule and $_____ over their original budget. In a moment of desperation, Katie has a tear-felt conversation with Chad"): "Let's hire someone to come finish part of the bathroom because I am going to have a nervous breakdown."

Chad: "Because you won't stop crying, I will let you continue to fantasize that we might be able to move into this house soon. You're wrong, but whatever you want to think is fine. We'll call the handyman to come knock some of this out."

Katie: "You know what sounds like fun? Being on my hands and knees for hours! Let's learn to tile our bathroom floor!"

Chad: "Nothing would thrill me more!"

Katie (after tiling for a few hours): "The lines aren't matching up right!"

Chad: "Some of these tile are different sizes."

Katie: "I don't care! JUST FINISH IT!"

(Flash to a few days later)

Katie: "Now that our tile job is done, and the grout makes most of our mistakes not noticeable, let's call a plumber to install a new toilet, without a sea-shell seat. He can also hook up our gorgeous new vanity from Home Depot."

(You've got to admit, folks, it DOES look pretty, darn good.)

Katie: "We will have to do something about the laundry area, because this is going to be an issue."

After handyman, sheet rock man, electrician, and plumber combine, this is the result:

Katie: "After we knock out the window air conditioning unit, remove the jungle vine growing into our house, scrape the popcorn off the ceiling, and paint the walls, this will make a great guest room."

Chad: "Agreed. Let's buy our paint from Lowe's."

Katie: "Let's go back to Lowe's, because the lady who mixed the paint and said, 'I hope this works,' clearly had no idea what she was doing, and our walls now look like a child has finger painted with chocolate pudding for a few hours.

(At this point in the show, there would be one of those dramatic fast-forward techniques used where you would see people going in and out of the room painting, but it would be like they were moving at 10 times the pace of a normal human. Then the room would magically look like the image below.)

Katie: "It would be a punishment to our child if we made him or her sleep in a room that looks like this."

Chad: "Agreed. Let's paint it and make it an office."

Katie: "You're a genius!"

Katie: "Wow, I thought wall paper was bad until I realized the agony that is sanding walls that have been sponge painted."

Katie: "Let's play a guessing game! How many coats of white paint will it take to cover this hideous, green trim?"

(I'm not sure, because I lost count at four.)

Katie: "Wouldn't it be a great idea to tile this room so it feels like an extension of the kitchen?"

Chad: "Because neither of us have tiled before, and we are stupid, I'm going to have to say yes!"

(Again, looks fabulous, if I do say so myself.)

Katie: "Remember that crazy lady at Lowe's who mixed the paint for the guest room? Well, it turns out she's not the only incompetent employee in the paint department. Let's run out of paint, so we can find that out."

Chad: "Great idea. Once they tell us they can match the exact color, and fail, we can repaint our den multiple times!"

Katie: "How grand!"

Katie: "Wow, now that the end is in sight, this looks like a completely different house!"

(Do our floors not look smashing?"

It turns out, our episode would have to be more than an hour long. So tune in later for a look at the finished product.

That's what we've been up to over the last little while. If you're not still reading, I understand!

Tyler Hansborough

I love this. I love even more that UNC beat Duke last night.

Things that Renew My Faith in the Human Race

A colleague of mine recently expressed that the reason she doesn't want to have children is because she's lost all faith in the human race.

Here are a few things that have happened to me lately that have helped me keep my faith in the human race:

--A pair of strangers at Lowe's rescuing us when Mr. 4-Runner decided not to start, despite the fact that we have recently invested a crap load (pardon my French) of money into giving him a new transmission. Sure, they probably mostly did this because we looked like we'd literally wandered off the street of some third world country (Note to self: try not to meet new people when dressed in painting garb), but still, they didn't HAVE to be so nice about it. They were.

--Cute lady in the Big Lots' parking lot taking my cart back in for me. It may seem like a small thing, but when the store has no cart return, it's a pain to take it all the way back to the store.

--The ridiculous amount of help we've been getting on our house. While some of it may be because my in-laws are probably wondering when exactly they will get their guest room back, I know it isn't all because of that. They have done so much to help us, as have many others. I am so thankful.

--A good start to a new semester. My classes are wonderful! I have smaller class sizes, kind students, and a promising semester. I think I will be able to plan on teaching again next year, instead of searching for a new profession.

"The next house I buy will be move-in ready."

Progress. It's being made, and despite feeling like we're never going to be finished with this project that has convinced me we are not "do it-yourself-ers," these photos suggest that we are getting there.

Before: The kitchen had some NICE wall paper. Enough said.

Now: Yes, I realize that the kitchen looks like more of a mess than before, and it is, but the wall paper is gone. A lot of dish soap, water, fabric softener, and putty-knife scraping made that feat possible. Also, you'll notice there's a new wall where there used to be cabinetry. That made a laundry closet possible in the hallway. A loss of some counter space, but completely worth it.


Before: The master bedroom had a "lovely" wall-paper border, and the walls were a cool shade of BLAH.Now: Wall paper border gone. Walls? A warm amber.


Before: The living room matched the dining room in a bright fuchsia. A fireplace attachment made a nice addition to the space, and our floors glistened like a gymnasium.

After: Walls a warm neutral. Fireplace attachment non-existent. Mantel being prepped for paint. Floors refinished, but covered until all the painting's done (but don't worry . . . the shiny finish is gone, and they're a beautiful shade).


Before: The breakfast room had, yet again, a fantastic border, which concealed a nice patch of water damage. Carpet that looked like it had seen some better days.


After: Border gone. Water damage fixed. Carpet out, and floors awaiting tile. Walls? A shade of green that was meant to be sage. It's not. It's a beautiful color, but it looks nothing like the sample I put on the wall. It might be changing. We shall see.


Before: The guest bedroom had a vine growing through the window, and was an unidentifiable shade of dirty white.

Now: Plant and air conditioning unit have been removed, and the wall color is a deep taupe.


Oh, and P.S., the bedspread that will be accompanying this room looks like this:
Despite finding a shower curtain that looks like this:

I decided against going with that wild horses theme we discussed in a previous post.

Before:

The previous owner had planted spruce trees right next to the house. They were obviously much too large to be so close to the house, to the point that one was about to block the front door. Chad's dad was kind enough to rip them out for us one Saturday while we were working inside.

Here's the result:I think it's a huge improvement! Plus, you will notice that all of those ugly papers announcing to the world that our house was a foreclosure are now also gone. The yard is obviously far from done, but at least you can see our front door now.

Before:

An obnoxious flower border wrapped around the entire dining room, in between cheap molding to create a make-shift chair rail.


Now:

The wall paper border has been removed, along with the cheap, imitation chair rail.


And, the outrageous fuchsia has been replaced with a classy, deep red.


Before: The laundry area was an accordion-doored closet with exposed piping that could only house a stack-able washer and dryer.



Now: Not at all a photo that really shows the progress that has been made, but do you see those little folding doors jetting out in the hallway? Those one up to a full-size laundry closet.

More improvements not yet pictured coming soon. All the ceilings are painted. All the hardwood is refinished. Bathrooms are prepped for the final renovations. Crown molding being installed this week. We're getting there!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I've discovered another difference between Utah and North Carolina. It deals with something white that falls from the sky. You guessed it, snow. On Tuesday, we woke up to this:

In Utah, if I woke up to that on a Tuesday it would mean one thing: Leave for work extra early, try to avoid imperative death on the freeway, and pray it didn't get any worse before my commute home. Last year, when I taught in Lehi, there was a day they closed the freeway at the point of the mountain, none of the buses were running, and we STILL had school. Real safe.

In North Carolina, waking up to snow meant a phone call from the superintendent telling me to stay home, even though it was a teacher work day. That meant we could do this:





We had a blast playing in the snow, enjoying hot apple cider, and curling up in front of the fireplace.

Oh, and don't worry. Work was canceled on Wednesday too. It felt like extended Christmas Vacation. I could get used to this. Here's our house in the winter wonderland:

Christmas in North Carolina

It feels strange to blog about Christmas when it was a whole month ago. If you want details, you can visit my sister-in-law's blog here for a play by play. In a word it was wonderful. What's not to love about fudge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Add a few handfuls of peanut-butter balls, and some other fabulous goodies, and you've got one great Christmas vacation. We did eat, but that's not all we did of course. There was sleeping in, movie watching, reading curled up in front of the fireplace, gazing at the Christmas tree, and baby holding.

This is all of us on Christmas morning, waiting to come downstairs and see what Santa brought.

This is our favorite present from Santa, our painting from Rome framed. Now if we can just finish our house so we have a place to hang it!



And this is us with our beautiful niece, Mackenzie Joy on her blessing day. Is she not the MOST ADORABLE THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE? I know. I miss her little coos, giggles, and smiles.


We had a great Christmas, filled with family, peace, and rest. We have so much to be thankful for.

Questions There Aren't Real Answers To

Chad and I have been married for more than three years now. In those three years of marriage, we have only spent one Thanksgiving together. Our first Thanksgiving I spent in North Carolina, while Chad sat aboard a plane bound for Utah, so he'd be back to work at Best Buy on Black Friday. This year, was reversed. Chad stayed in North Carolina, because he hasn't been working long enough to have accumulated any time off, and I few out to Utah to spend a few days with my family. It's beginning to feel like Thanksgiving isn't a real holiday, since we never spend it together. Anyway, my trip to Utah left me with a series of questions:

Question One - Why is it that around the Holidays I begin to eat just for the sake of eating?

Not hungry? No problem. Consume massive amounts of calories anyway. Thanksgiving dinner was amazing, but that wasn't the only calorie fest I indulged in on the trip. There were episodes involving spinach and artichoke dip, my mom and dad's amazing chicken salad that no one else can make just right, about a dozen Costco poppy seed muffins, Stephen's peppermint hot chocolate smothered in whipped cream, Cafe Rio (oh how my heart had missed thee!), and at least an entire jar full of chocolate/macadamia nut/caramel clusters (I want to personally meet the person who created these and not only shake her hand, but give her a hug), and much more.

This is our pretty Thanksgiving table, although I never got a picture with all the food on it . . . sad day, but it was yummy:

Here's my dad carving the turkey:

Question Two - Does every family have those relatives who are just crazies?

These are two of mine. I love them dearly, but I affectionately refer to them as the crazies:

During dinner I had a laughing fit that I had to try to conceal when crazy on the left decided to begin impersonating her dog. Yes, she was barking at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Luckily, I wasn't sitting across from Jared this year. The last time this happened, I wasn't able to control myself because every time I'd look at him it would set off the laughter again. She also had some interesting comments to make about the school where I teach . . . but that's a story for another time.

Question Three - Why doesn't my family live closer?

Spending time with my Mom, Dad, Bryan, and Jared was wonderful. I love them all so much, and it is very hard being so far away. We had a great time, though.

Jared can always make me laugh. This kid has the best sense of humor, and he always has cool, new music to share.

Even though this picture is terrible of me, I have to post it, because this so sums up the fact that brothers will always torment sisters, no matter how old they get. Constantly trying to pester, but out of love. I am going to miss Bryan so much when he leaves for Iraq after the new year.

It was so much fun to have time to spend with my mom. She didn't have to work the entire time I was there, so we had a lot of time to be together. Best of all, we got to exercise our traditional, yearly, eight hours of insanity: shopping on Black Friday. I think the lady who scowled at all us suckers, waiting in line at Kohl's, put it best: "Nothing in this store is worth waiting in THAT line for." You were right lady. But wait we did. Why? Because it's just wrong not to.

I am so glad I had the chance to spend time with my family. The only thing missing was, of course, the Chadwick. Things just weren't quite the same without him.

Question Four - Isn't it amazing how some friendships are made to last a lifetime?

I've known Callie since the sixth grade, when she forced me to jump off the rope swing at Lybbert's Pond. I've known Crystal since the seventh, when Callie introduced us. We've made a lot of fun memories together over the years. From school dances, to dancing the night away in Mexico, I always smile when I think of these two. It's always fun to get together to catch up. It's even more fun now that she has two adorable daughters. It was great to play with Aubrey and Olivia. I feel so blessed to have such good friends!

Question Five - Why is it, when I WANT it to snow in Utah, it doesn't?

Because North Carolina is my home now, I've adjusted to the fact that my days of white Christmases are pretty much over. There might be one fluke Christmas where I luck out and see a dusting of white, but chances are slim. As much as I complained about the snow in Utah, I do like a white Christmas. Since I won't have one of those, I was hoping for some Thanksgiving flurries. I got nothing. Nada. It wasn't even COLD while I was there. What's with that?

Question Six - How awesome is my husband to let me leave for a week to see my family?

Question Seven - How much more awesome is it that he missed me while I was gone?

As much as I loved spending time with family and friends in Utah, I really missed my husband. It was pretty hard to fall asleep without him beside me, not to mention the fact that I just enjoy having him around. I was so happy to see him again when he picked me up from the airport. I figured he would probably have enjoyed bachelorhood a little too much while I was away, but by some miracle he missed me too! I am so thankful for him and all he does for me.

It feels like my Thanksgiving trip just ended, and already we are getting geared up for Christmas. Time sure does fly! I know I've slacked as a blogger lately, but with Christmas approaching, that means there's a new year just around the corner. One of my resolutions? More blogging!

Not My Most Shining Moment

I should have known when I left for work this morning that things were just not going to go my way. The sky looked gray and solemn, so I figured we were due for some rain. It proceeded to begin snowing. Which made me want to vomit, because it forced me to recall some horrific driving experiences in Utah. (Luckily, it didn't stick . . . much to my students' dismay, and my extreme pleasure.)

After work today, I went to the DMV to get my driver's license.

That was the plan.

Chad took the test yesterday. He passed it with flying colors. 100%. Not a single question missed. His exact words were, "That test was a joke!"

I failed the test.

Yes, that's right. Failed it.

I am completely mortified.

You could only miss five questions, and I missed six. It felt like an out of body experience. I am not the kind of girl who fails tests. I'm not the kind of girl who doesn't do well on tests. I thought I was going to cry.

It reminded me of my freshman year at BYU, when I took my first Physical Science test. I remember waiting at the bottom of the stairs in the testing center, watching for my student number to pop up on the screen with my test score. When I found my number, and saw my corresponding score, I thought, "Oh, I must not have the right number." Yea. A quick look at my ID card confirmed that, yes, I did have the right number, and, yes, I was a loser who had bombed her first test.

As I drove away from the DMV, I wondered if it was criminal for me to be driving at all. I mean, clearly if I can't pass a simple driving test I have no business being on the road.

Oh, well. Life will go on. The only problem is, I still have to get a North Carolina driver's license. What happens if I fail the test a second time? I don't know if I can live that down!

The Scoop

It's been too long, my friends. Things have been so crazy, I haven't known where to start with blogging, and so it's been pushed to the wayside. But, since this is supposed to be a kind of pseudo-journal for me, I figure I best sketch out what's been going on. Sorry it is picture-less . . . if you choose not to read this, I forgive you.

The House.

The improvements are continuing. The house is full of surprises. Some surprises are good, like finding a silver tea set in a closet we didn't know existed. Some surprises are bad, like finding out there is no wall behind the mirrors in the bathrooms. Regardless, we are trying to get more of the many projects finished. The electrical work is now completed. Our laundry area has been framed. The plumber has been frequenting our future residence over the past couple of weeks. The popcorn is now off the ceilings (aside from two rooms that have decided to be impossible). That, in itself should have been a post of its own. I would like to find the person who decided to spray that on my ceilings and hurt them. Even though I've hated every moment of working on them, it has made such a difference. We wore masks, so don't worry, we shouldn't end up with cancer. Even though the ceilings aren't completely finished, they look so much more modern without the cottage cheese effect. The wall paper is all down (aside from the bathroom that makes we shake my head every time I walk into it). I have told Chad no matter how much I beg and plead, he is NEVER to allow me to put wall paper up ANYWHERE in my house. I hate it with such a passion, I can't even express the loathing I feel. I can't wait until we get to start painting and doing things that really make the house look different. So much of what we've been doing is prep work so it's messy and doesn't feel very rewarding. I'm ready to move in!

The Car.

We bought our first car together! We now own a 2009 black, shiny, NEW, Mazda 3. We knew this was the car for us after first test driving one in the Spring. We've been looking at every car imaginable since, but nothing was as fun to drive. I've been having a great time driving it back and forth to work, and we've both loving the fact that the gas mileage is amazing. We still love Mr. Four-Runner, but he won't be getting as much road time now that we have a fuel-efficient vehicle. Ask us how much we love the Mazda after we get our first car payment . . . hmmmm. We still need a name for our new, black beauty, so if you have any suggestions, they'd be much appreciated.

Laryngitis.

We're both sick, and I pretty much lost my voice on Friday. I try to speak and no noise comes out. Try teaching high school students without being able to raise your voice. Or really talk at all. Yea. We spent today trying to recover, and didn't work on the house at all as a result. Hopefully we'll be well soon, and we have Veteran's Day off on Tuesday, which will be spent working to try to make up lost time. Wish us luck. I'm going to take a sick day on Monday, so hopefully by Wednesday I'll be able to actually talk to my students.

I am Proud of My Hubby

For many reasons. Yesterday, I was most proud that he schooled a bunch of punks in a dodge ball game.

Chad's work has an industrial league dodge ball team. My husband, being the ultra competitive sports nut that he is, of course plays on this team. Now, I have watched my husband participate in many sporting events, and I love watching him. There is something about seeing him hit a baseball, or shoot a basket, or swing a golf club, that makes me think: Wow. There is hope for our children. (There is no disputing the fact that I have zero athletic ability. Zilch. None. Unless they get a few of his genes, our kids are doomed to be the last ones chosen for any kickball team, at any elementary school, in this country.) Having said that, I am not going to lie. When he told me he was going to be playing dodge ball, I really wasn't that excited to go watch. I mean, really. Dodge ball? I figured I would spend the time watching the clock tick slowly by, hoping the game didn't go too long and force me to miss part of this week's episode of The Office. Little did I know, being bored was not on the agenda.

If any of you have seen the Ben Stiller Flick, this image may seem familiar:

You probably thought, like I did, that this was an exaggerated parody. No, my friends. No, you were mistaken. This is a very accurate representation of dodge ball teams that actually do exist. I witnessed one for myself last night, when the little bank took on their arch nemesis: The Good Fellas.

No, this photo has not been photo shopped. This is the real deal. The Good Fellas have been undefeated for three seasons. They have routine practices. They have uniforms. The majority of them have purchased sneakers that match the dark, and intimidating colors of their uniforms. They wear sweat bands and arm bands. They mean business. To them, dodge ball isn't a game--it is a way of life.

That is why, I had to stifle just a few giggles while watching. I had to try not to laugh while bandanna boy did a special spin move. I had to bite my cheek muscles to keep from grinning when little man with the head band bent low to the ground, swerving with insane motions to avoid being hit. Their performance reminded me a lot of this:

Pretty soon, I wasn't stifling giggles, I was trying to keep myself from running on the court, approaching one member of the team, and letting him know that I was about to "pop his jaws" as Nana would say.

And their name choice? A bit confusing. They weren't "good" fellas at all, but probably need to think about changing their name to "poor sport, potty-mouthed, going nowhere, potheads."

My favorite moment of the evening, however, was when one "good" fella decided to show the referee the bird. This, of course, brought shocked outcries from my mother-in-law and myself, at which point one of the good fella's mothers explained that "They needed to be able to voice their opinions, and it was the referee's fault." Right. Wow. Good parenting skills lately. And I was wondering where these kids got their social skills from.

The only thing that kept me from physically harming these individuals (other than the fact that I was scared about them retaliating under the influence of alcohol and other hallucinogenic drugs) was realizing that these people don't have real jobs. To them, this is life. The fact that my husband's team is beating them at what we consider to be an amusing past time, is to them detrimental.

In the end I was still glad we kicked their butts! My husband's underdog team beat the evil giants fair and square. Way to go, guys!

Newest Dilema

My Fellow Bloggers,

I need your advice and expertise. As you know, Chad and I recently purchased a house. Well, the home improvement projects are up and running (a post and photos of the progress to follow) which means the decorating wheels are already turning for me. We need to choose a room color for the guest room, which I would like to coordinate with the main bathroom in the house, since this will also serve as the guest bath when company comes. After looking at paint colors, I've finally decided I need to choose the bedspread first, and then go from there. So, after looking through a couple catalogs tonight, I've narrowed it down to two, affordable, and beautiful, options. I need your help deciding which I should go with.

After spotting these two gems, I realized color choices were no longer going to be my main problem. The bigger issue was going to be what feel I wanted for the room. What emotions did I want to spark in the hearts and minds of my company?

The first bedspread's description boasted that it would "bring home the beauty of nature," but the second one's promise that it would "capture the spirit of adventure" was also tempting . . . either way, there is no disputing that each of them features a "stunning panorama" which "exudes a cozy lodge feel."

Choice A:

The advantage to selecting this one, is I already know someone willing to part with some decorative wall art that will coordinate perfectly. (Does your offer still stand, Wendi?)

Choice B:

At first, I was so struck by the fact that Choice A actually existed, that I overlooked this one. On closer inspection, I didn't know how I could have missed it! How charming to think that each time I walk past my spare bedroom, I could envision scenes from The Man From Snowy River. Maybe I could even store a copy of the film on DVD in the room, so guests could enjoy it before dozing off, and basking in the "adventurous" dreams this decor is sure to inspire. I'm not sure what wall art I could incorporate, although I'm sure my "My Little Pony" collection is still buried in a box somewhere at my parents' house.

So, please, dear readers, take part in my poll. I just CAN NOT choose between these two enchanting room themes. After laughing over this together, I think I have convinced my sister-in-law, Lauren, to buy whichever one I don't. That way, we can swap whenever we are craving a change.

Sadly, someone must purchase these . . . the catalog also included a bear scene of "Playful cubs romping in an alpine meadow as mother bears look on" and a scenic lake scene which portrays a "picturesque lakefront cabin" creating "a cozy rustic retreat." Wow. Kitsch at its best.

Funny Thing of the Week

Conversation that goes like this:

One of my kids - "Mrs. Reese, do you have any kids?"

Me - "No."

One of my kids - "Do you want any?"

Me - "Yes, I definitely do, someday."

Kid - "Well . . . GO FOR IT!"

Followed by raucous laughter from the class and myself.

Sometimes, I love my life. My students are so funny.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my madre's birthday. If I still lived in the same state she does, Chad and I would be driving to her house for dinner and German chocolate cake with homemade icing. (Mom, I hope Dad made you a cake.) Because I not only no longer live in the same state, but now live across the country, that is not possible. Instead, I will call her on the phone tonight and give her my birthday wishes long distance.

It was kind of a serendipitous moment today when the poem we read in class reminded me of my mom. My class is taking part in Poetry 180. Billy Collins, the former poet lauriate of the US has put together a list of 180 poems (a poem for every day of the school year) for high school students. I won't force you to read the poem, but if you want to, feel free to follow the link. The conclusion of the poem just reminded me so much of my mom, and how she was when I was growing up, particularly when I was an adolescent. My mom always gave me my space, let me be independent, and figure things out in my own time. Even so, she was always on the sidelines as my cheerleader (sometimes a silent one in the background) waiting to help me when I needed it.

My mom is an amazing, talented, hardworking lady and I love her. Happy Birthday, MOM!

Positive Energy . . .

I am trying to embrace the positive in my life right now. I've been having a kind of hard time at my job. I have one class that is beyond fabulous. Teaching them is so joyous. They are absolutely wonderful. I have two classes that are . . . more challenging. These classes inspire frustration. Most of the period is spent with me saying things like "Excuse me," "Please show some respect," "I'm not going to talk over you," and an occasionally yelled "HEY!" to get people to stop and pay attention. I am having to turn in to an edgy, Nazi, drill sergeant, and I hate it. Usually a good "teacher look" and one or two phrases like those mentioned above will whip the adolescents into submission, but with these classes, not so much. Things that have usually worked for me while teaching just aren't working, and it's leaving me unsure of what to do next.

The sad thing is, I have a lot of students in both of these classes that I completely adore. I'm just having a hard time dealing with the problems. Anyway, after waking up this morning with a tiny bit of dread about the aforementioned classes, I decided to try to be positive. On my way to work today, I was counting my blessings, because I really have been showered with them lately. Here are just a few that I am going to recount now, because I thought I was going to cry after teaching my last class today.

1. The fact that Chad and I are homeowners. How fun is it that we own a house? We've changed the locks, I've knocked down spider webs, and we are going to start tearing down wall paper this weekend. There's so much work to be done, but it's so exciting!

2. The fact that our car is still functioning. After being repaired twice, Mr. 4-Runner seems to be doing much better. I have been buttering him up with a lot of praise, so hopefully he will continue to run properly without costing us any more money.

3. All the good students I do have. And I really do have a LOT. I love so many of my kids. They are funny, intelligent, and thoughtful.

4. Fall weather. The hot, humid days are finally melting away into cool, crisp ones. I love it. We've also had a ton of rain, which I can't get enough of. Last night I fell asleep to it pitter-pattering away. I can't wait for the leaves to start changing.

5. My previously mentioned PLANE TICKET which leads to my family, a baby to hold, and Cafe Rio burritos.

There you go, five things that make me smile despite a kind of crappy end to my school day.

YEA!!!!

I just bought a plane ticket online so I can go spend Thanksgiving with my family! I am so excited!!! I have been searching for an affordable plane ticket for the last few months but haven't been able to find anything. In fact, the prices have kept going up, which has made me think I wouldn't be spending the holiday with my family. Well, tonight I was talking to my grandma about it, and she suggested a couple of travel deal websites I'd never heard of before. I ended up finding a ticket price lower than ANY I have seen. Thanks, Grandma Joy!

As an added bonus, I will get to hold my sweet, little niece while I'm out there as well.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

2 Posts that Have Been a Long Time Coming . . .

Ok. I've been meaning to blog. Most of you have probably thought I've died, that I've been buried 6 feet under, and are feeling sorry you didn't have the chance to say goodbye. I do apologize. But, shed no tears -- I am alive and well! I've just been slacking in the blogging department. So, without further ado, here are two tales I've been waiting to spin for you:

In Case We Needed a Reminder of Why I Hate Walmart & Refer to it as Satan's Five and Ten:

So. A few days ago, I decided to run by WalMart on my way home from school. I was behind on my grading, and decided to pick up a pocket calculator that I could take between school and home. I've been using the calculator on my computer at work to calculate percentages, but thought it might be easier to have a small calculator to use instead. Anyhow, I get to Walmart. Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a quick, run-in, grab what I need, and go kind of trip. I had intentions of getting home and getting all of my grading done before Chad finished work.

I took a quick stroll down the office supply aisle and found a calculator, but it was a little bit bigger than what I wanted, and it was $8.00. I thought it was the only choice at first, but a walk down a second office aisle explained the lack of variety. All of the other calculators were locked in a glass case. OK. When I say ALL, I'm not talking about just the fancy-schmancy graphing kind that you have to buy for high school advanced algebra classes, I'm talking about the DOLLAR pocket-sized calculators. The three dollar ones were locked up as well.

OK. I only needed a calculator to figure out percentages, so I figured the $1.00 calculator was the way to go. I mean, why spend $8.00 on something related to math, the most horrendous subject in the world, when I could spend $1.00 instead.

After asking the first old employee I could track down if they had a key, and finding out that, no, they did not, nor did they have any clue who did, it was time to ask said old lady to use the intercom for me. She did. I heard, "customer assistance needed at the calculator case." I waited. I waited some more. I went in search of another old employee. This time I found a delightful woman who got on the intercom not once, but TWICE for me. "Customer is STILL waiting at the calculator case." By this time another customer had joined me at the calculator case to wait for the key to arrive. Finally, the gem of a lady who used the intercom twice, marched to the front to personally get a key for us.

By this point, my plan for a five minute calculator search had turned in to a thirty minute fume-fest. I hate the fact that I am so impatient, but I am. I was very kind to the woman who helped me, because I realize it is not her fault that the company she works for is in cohorts with Satan.

When I got home, I started grading. I had calculated a total of three percentages when my purple, one-dollar calculator decided it would no longer let me use the number 7. My entire trip had been a complete waste of time. And the thought of driving back to WalMart to attempt returning a $1.00 piece of merchandise just wasn't appealing. My father-in-law found a calculator for me, which made me regret the earlier trip even more.

All in favor of K-town getting a Target?!?!?!?!?!

Some People Aren't Brought Up Right, Or Why I am Thankful My Husband is Cultured:

On Friday night, Chad and I went to ECU to see the North Carolina Symphony. It was his idea, and I'm so glad he had the inspiration to take me. We had a great time. We would have had an even better time, had the idiot behind us stayed at home.

Obnoxious Male Student, LOUDLY, on his phone: "No, I'm at a concert. No, believe me, I'm not here because I want to be! Yea, are you guys going out later? I had to pay 32 bucks to get in to this thing. I'm so pissed."

After his phone call, he then proceeded to make similar commentary to the floozy girl sitting next to him for the remainder of the concert, whilst I squirmed in my chair, trying to fight the urge to turn around and smack him.

The concert was wonderful. We had a great time and are looking forward to going to some similar things at ECU in the future. Most of all, the trip left me feeling grateful that Chad enjoys going to things like that, too, so that I don't have to force him to go unwillingly.

So there you go, two tales from my week. Oh, and on Tuesday we will finally be official homeowners! We are so excited for closing. The owners are going to pay for the minor termite damage that was found in the outdoor shed area, which is also great news!

The Good Thing About Vampires Not Being Real

Is that apparently I have quite tasty blood.

Mosquitoes have always like me.

My body right now can testify that the Southern ones actually LOVE me.

I'd hate to see what a non-Cullen vampire posse would do to me.

I am COVERED in bug bites.

One, little, phone conversation outside on Sunday night (the Reese house is a fortress that kills cell phone signals, so I've started to talk on the phone outside) and you'd think I've been tramping through bush in the Amazon.

It frightens me to realize they didn't all come from mosquitoes. It was dark outside, so I have no idea what was swarming me.

If I didn't know better, I'd say I had developed some strange disease that covers my limbs with contusions. In fact, my students probably thought so today when they saw my bare, white legs. I wore a skirt which made the red knobs all over my skin pretty impossible to cover up. Unless I wore nylons. Unfortunately, I am not the nylon wearing type. No matter how pasty I am.

So there you go. Right now I am a pasty, diseased-looking woman, who itches profusely.

With a broken car.

Excuse me while I go wallow in self-pity with a bottle of chamomile lotion.

And maybe just a little bit of chocolate.